HEY HEY WE’RE THE MONKEES

David Zarkin, King of Cheezie Movies, asked if the obviously outdated photo of yours handsome truly is from the era of Bobby Sherman and Andy Gibb. Those are actually two different periods in pop music — Bobby Sherman (Hey, Little Woman)
was a pop star with screaming fans at the same time as Davey Jones of the Monkees — the Pre-Fab Four (or five). I never met Davey Jones
or Bobby Sherman but I spent a wonderful fun afternoon with Andy Gibb in Bellevue, Washington. He visited the gleaming streamlined studios of Barer/McManus & Partners, or Barer/Goldblatt & Associates, depending on the exact year. Mike Rowley (sp?) took tons of cool photos and although I saw them once, I never got copies.

I also met Circus Boy/Monkee Micky Dolenz, at KOL radio. Dolenz began his show business career in 1956 when he starred in a children’s show called Circus Boy under the name Mickey Braddock. In the show he played an orphaned boy who is the water boy for the elephants in his uncle’s one-ring circus at the turn of the 20th Century. The program ran for three years, after which Dolenz made sporadic appearances on network TV shows and pursued his education. He also played with a couple of obscure rock and roll bands, including one called The Missing Links. In 1965 Dolenz was cast in the television sitcom The Monkees and became the drummer and lead vocalist for the band created for the show. He wrote a few of the band’s songs as well as providing the lead vocals for such hits as “Last Train to Clarksville” and “I’m a Believer”. Toward the end of the series’ hectic two-year run Dolenz directed and co-wrote what turned out to be the show’s final episode.Freddie BOOM BOOM Cannon also dropped by KOL, as did Deep Throat star, Linda Lovelace. I met Freddie, but not Linda. Maybe Freddie shared Linda’s talent, but I didn’t make any attempt to find out. Pia Zadorra (all three feet tall of her) stopped by KYYX to hype her one semi-hit single, but my favorite radio station semi-regular was Bette Midler who was a frequent guest on the Jack Morton show. I only saw Bette live on stage once — and she was topless on roller skates!! Honest! Ask her yourself. She doesn;t talk about that much.Speaking of topless, a frequent commentator on this blog is notorious artist DOGSDONTPURR. She appears, albeit briefly, in the too-long but still entertaining documentary SURREALISM, now available on DVD. I also appear in the film,but she shows up busting out all over. She is wearing SOMETHING , but as she is about as tall as Pia Zadorra, her famed female attributes appear the size of the front grill, headlights, and bumper of a 1972 Cadillac or De Soto from the late 1960’s. I think it is trick photography, because in person with clothes on she looks sort of (forgive me!) normal. I have never been one of those guys obsessed with breasts — just didn’t "get it" when it came to that fixation. Now, in my advanced age, I am garnering an appreciation that was beyond me in my youth. Whoever said "Youth is wasted on the young" has never been to Palm Springs — lots of old guys with young girls (or boys).Ohhhh — David Cassidy was another pop star at the same time as Bobbyt Sherman.

Didn’t meet him either. <sigh>Met the Byrds, talked to John Lennon, sat next to Sly Stalone at a funeral…but never met David Cassidy.

7 Responses to “HEY HEY WE’RE THE MONKEES”

The Monkee were lucky enough to apear right when the Beatles stepped out of the spotlight to visit the Maharishi. There biggest accomplishment was to keep the light shining on pop music. In some of there concerts, Jimi Hendrix was a poorly received warm up act. Another factoid. David Bowie was originally David Jones, but changed his name to make way for the bubblegum star.